Studio Art: News

MARY ELLEN HALE LOVETT TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP
Department of Visual & Dramatic Arts
The Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts is accepting proposals from VADA majors and double-majors for the 2008 Mary Ellen Hale Lovett Traveling Fellowship.

The fellowship supports student research travel and studio supplies expenses. Field of research within the visual and dramatic arts is open. Travel should be completed by the spring 2009 semester. Travel may be either domestic or international. However, the successful candidate will be responsible for making their own travel arrangements and obtaining appropriate visas and travel documentation.

To apply for the fellowship, please submit a detailed, succinct, one-page proposal that describes research interests, project goals, travel plans and objectives, and anticipated outcomes. A budget should be attached to the proposal.

Proposals up to $3,000 will be considered. Students wishing to attend summer academic programs, where transfer credit will be awarded, are also encouraged to apply.

Deadline for submitting proposals: Monday, April 7, 3:00 p.m.

Proposals should be submitted to Rachel Boyle in the VADA administrative office in the Rice Media Center. Proposals may not be submitted electronically.

Awards will be announced during the awards ceremony at the 2008 Annual Student Art Exhibition, Thursday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.

ELEANOR AND FRANK FREED TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP
Department of Visual & Dramatic Arts
The Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts is accepting proposals from VADA majors and double-majors for the 2008 Eleanor and Frank Freed Traveling Fellowship.

Proposals up to $1,800 will be considered. Students wishing to attend summer academic programs, where transfer credit will be awarded, are also encouraged to apply.

Deadline for submitting proposals: Monday, April 7, 3:00 p.m.

Proposals should be submitted to Rachel Boyle in the VADA administrative office in the Rice Media Center. Proposals may not be submitted electronically.

Awards will be announced during the awards ceremony at the 2008 Annual Student Art Exhibition, Thursday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.

PICTURING POZOS
Rice students help Children tell their town's story through art
By Jessica Start, Rice News

For many college students, Mexico is a spring break destination, but it was a classroom beyond the hedges for eight Rice University students this fall. As part of an artistic and educational outreach project, the students taught photography basics to the children of Mineral de Pozos, a small ghost town in the heart of Mexico. The children, ages 7 to 16, were given cameras and other materials to discover, explore and capture their town through artwork.

The Rice students walked with the children through the town and listened to their stories. They encouraged the children to create photographs and monotypes that expressed personal feelings about the town and townspeople.

"Our walks were more about the rediscovery and exploration of the ordinary than simply creating art," said Ian White, Jones College senior. "I found the children's earnest desire to document the town and their lives to be both refreshing and exciting in its lack of artistic pretense."

As eager as they were, the children initially struggled with taking unique photographs. Many of the children would group together and all take the same shot from slightly different vantage points. White said that the Rice students spent a great deal of one-on-one time with the children to resolve that issue.

Another challenge was getting the children to uncover what about the town was fascinating to them.

"When we first started working on the project, we told the kids to photograph things that were interesting to them," said Myrth Killingsworth, Jones College senior. "We were trying to capture the parts of the town that were most important to them -- to see the town through their eyes."

Apparently, the Rice students were interesting: the first few rolls of film were almost exclusively portraits of them. With encouragement from their student mentors and teachers, the children turned their sights back on the town and got closer to their subjects, even the old widow who lived alone with myriad dogs.

"I convinced the children that they needed to talk to her," White said. "Most of them had assumed she was crazy, but once they talked to her, they learned that wasn't the case. It made me feel like we had really contributed to the well-being of the community and brought them together."

How the exhibition came to be
The Rice students' efforts yielded all of the photographs and monotypes in the exhibition "Mi Pueblo: The Pozos Children's Project" by Rice professor Geoff Winningham. Winningham had been commissioned by the Jung Center of Houston to have an exhibition for FotoFest 2008, an international showcase of photography and photo-related art.

While he was thinking about what he would like to exhibit, Winningham remembered a project done by his wife, painter Janice Freeman. A few years ago, Freeman had brought some children from a nearby orphanage to her studio to teach them printmaking.

"The prints they made were quite beautiful," Winningham said. "So I began to wonder if I could do something similar for the kids in Pozos -- teach them basic photography, help them photograph their town, process and print their work and still assemble a show in time for FotoFest."

Winningham only had six months to get funding, buy cameras and materials, find and teach the Pozos children who wanted to participate, help them produce the pictures, then frame the show and hang it.

Others might have panicked or scrapped the idea all together, but Winningham decided to expand the project.

"I had a real all-star group of students last spring, and I missed them," Winningham said. "I thought about it for a second and decided it would be a real adventure for them. Within 24 hours, I had six students signed on to help me with this project."

He then called the Jung Center, and with its full support, the Pozos Children's Project was off the ground and Winningham, Freeman and the Rice students were bound for Mexico.

Rugged beauty, friendly people
Armed with 20 cameras, 500 rolls of film, darkroom supplies, paper and monotype inks, the group of 10 made its first voyage to Pozos in October. Nearly 40 children had signed up to take part in the project.

"I really had no idea what to expect," White said. "I had never been to Mexico, but I expected the town to be small and quaint. Once I arrived, I was also struck by its rugged beauty."

Killingsworth too was enraptured with the town and its old cobblestone streets. Her first morning there, she walked into town and saw women wrapped in blankets with baskets on their heads.

"They all greeted me," Killingsworth said. "Geoff had told us that the people were friendly and welcoming. He was right."

Having made his first trip there in 1979, Winningham has a deep understanding of the people of Pozos. He visited the town as much as possible, inspired by its beautiful ruins. Then, about 10 years ago, he and Freeman bought a piece of land and built a house -- complete with a darkroom for him and a studio for her.

"Pozos became our true home," Winningham said. "We have loved living with a foot in both worlds, and we love to share the experience whenever we can."

Sharing the Pozos experience
Through "Mi Pueblo: The Pozos Children's Project," Winningham was able to open the door to that experience for his students and now, through the exhibition, a much larger audience. The exhibition, which runs until March 29 at the Jung Center, 5200 Montrose Blvd., is already slotted to appear at the Texas State University's Wittliff Collection and museums in Mexico and be turned into a 64-page catalog.

"The photographs and monotypes are stunning. I have a hunch that the show is going to be a real hit wherever it goes," Winningham said.

Winningham's students are also poised to be successes wherever they go, bringing with them the lessons learned and insights gained in Pozos.

"I believe that art has the power to make bonds, to bring communities and people together," Killingsworth said. "By going to Pozos and teaching the kids there, I was simply able to pass on a great gift that was given to me -- the ability to express myself in a way that connects me to the world and the people around me."

White too treasured the teaching and learning experience
"I was given the opportunity and the auspices to learn so much," White said. "About a different culture, about my fellow students and most importantly, about how I perceive the world around me and my place in it. For that I will always be grateful."

Funding from Abrams, Scott & Bickley LLP; King & Spalding LLP; Carolyn Grant Fay; and Sheila and Isaac Heimbinder made this project possible. For more information about the exhibition or to see a photo, visit:

http://www.cgjunghouston.org/art/pages/pages08/march08pozos.htm.

GUEST SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2007 BOOK FAIR AT THE MUSEUM OF PRINTING HISTORY
Houstonians will be treated to a special guest lecture at this year's November Houston Book Fair at the Museum of Printing History. Photographers Paul Hester and Lisa Hardaway will join author Michael Andrews to speak about their award-winning book, Historic Texas Courthouses at the November 10th event.

The Houston Book Fair has been growing in size and popularity since its debut in 2001. This year's line-up includes 22 U.S. dealers. Selections range from rare and collectible to moderately priced used books in a wide variety of subjects including children's books, Texana, mystery books, historical documents, out of print, first editions and many more. The Museum Gift Shop, the Museum of Printing History Book Arts Guild and other local artists will be offering hand-made crafts for gift-giving options.

Courthouse author Andrews has long been a supporter of historical preservation, during his term as a U.S. congressman from Texas and later as a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. His text richly describes the artisans, materials and methods of the fine craftsmen who worked throughout Texas in the late 19th and early 20th century to create elaborate courthouse structures throughout the state.

More than 400 photos illustrate his text. Esteemed architectural photographers Paul Hester and Lisa Hardaway will be on hand to describe their experiences in illustrating the book. Both are Rice University graduates and have worked on many architectural photography projects.

Historic Texas Courthouses was voted best Texas Book of 2006 by "Texas Reads". The experiences and achievements of these three should provide a delightful treat to Book Fair attendees.

The museum is located at 1324 W. Clay, one block west of Montrose and a half mile south of Allen Parkway. Its massive collection is open to the public daily (closed Sundays) and includes a working model of the Gutenberg press, plus items tracing the history of the printed word. For more information, phone 713-522-4652 or visit the website, www.printingmuseum.org.

This program has been funded in part by grants from The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PAINTING & DRAWING SEARCH
The Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts at Rice University is seeking candidates and candidate nominations for a full-time, tenure-track assistant professor of studio art (emphasis in painting and drawing).

The position is responsible for teaching four undergraduate painting, drawing, design, or criticism courses each academic year (two fall and two spring); engaging and maintaining an active and aggressive program of research and creative scholarship; participating in student advising and mentoring; and serving on department and university committees.

Candidates should have the Master of Fine Arts degree with emphasis in painting and drawing,; significant record of exhibition on the national level; strong organization, communication, and collaborative skills; and at least three years teaching experience on the post-secondary level. Experience in additional artistic mediums (i.e., digital media, design, printmaking, sculpture, etc.), and the ability to enhance the diversity and dynamics of the department will be considered assets.

Rice University is an upper-level, liberal arts research university offering study in film production, theatre, and the studio arts (printmaking, painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography). Rice University has approximately 4,800 graduate, undergraduate, and professional students with approximately 650 full- and part-time faculty. Rice is located in Houston, Texas, a culturally diverse metropolitan city with a strong visual and performing arts community. The department enjoys a diverse and talented group student majors along with progressive academic offerings and collaborations with The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The Menil Collection, the Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, and many alternative art spaces and galleries.

Deadline for applications is November 30, 2007. Appointment to begin July 1, 2008.

To apply for this position, please send a letter summarizing your interest and qualifications along with a current curriculum vitae, academic transcripts for undergraduate and graduate degrees, three letters of reference, up to 50 samples of personal and student work (CD or DVD format), and brief statements on teaching and research philosophies. A self-addressed, postage-paid envelope will be required for all materials to be returned to candidates.

Send application materials to:
Professor Karin Broker, Chair
Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts
Rice University
MS-549
P.O. Box 1892
Houston, Texas 77251-1892

Rice University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

HOUSTON WILDERNESS: A COLLABORATION, MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON
Paul Hester's work to be included in the Houston Wilderness: A Collaboration exhibtion at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston September 22-January 6, 2008 at the Caroline Weiss Law building. More information: http://mfah.org/main.asp?target=exhibition&par1=1&par2=1&par3=513.

A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOUSTON WILDERNESS, THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON
Geoff Winningham will be part of the panel discussion, A Conversation about Houston Wilderness, along with Clinton T. Willour, guest curator of the exhibition Houston Wilderness: A Collaboration, environmental attorney Jim Blackburn, and philanthropist Nancy Powell Moore. September 22, 4:00 p.m., The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet St.

PROFESSOR SMITH'S WORK FEATURED AT THE STATION MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART
George Smith's one-man show, along with two other exhibitions that explore African inspiration, is on view at The Station Museum of Contemporary Art, September 16, 2007. The Station Museum of Contemporary Art, 1502 Alabama, 713-529-6900. More information: http://www.stationmuseum.com/MLS/mls.htm.

HESTER'S WORK FEATURED DURING FOTOFEST AT THE VINE STREET STUDIOS
VADA Instructor Paul Hester's work will be included in the exhibition Visions from FotoFest Inter-Biennial Exhibits & Events at FotoFest 2007 at the Vine Street Studios, 1113 Vine St., opening September 6th. http://www.fotofest.org/exhibits.asp?type=3.

News Reel: Summer 2007

New University Art Curator will add Outreach Component to Campus Art

Summer Window 5: New Installation by Mike Stilkey. Friday, June 1 - Wednesday, August 1

Artwork will Draw Community Together on Campus